Folding chair structure



United States Patent FOLDING CHAIR STRUCTURE William L. Shepherdson,Phoenix, Ariz., assignor of sixtysix and two thirds percent to J. E.Meacham, Phoenix,

Application January 26, 1956, Serial No. 561,411

3 Claims. (Cl. 155196) This invention pertains to improvements infolding chair structures and is particularly directed to aself-contained folding arrangement wherein all of the chair elements areat all times inter-connected both in folded and in open condition.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simplified andimproved folding chair mechanism which is cheap to manufacture, andhighly efiicient in clamping up and holding the chair in rigid opencondition.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved chairstructure having critically positioned points of pivoting, abuttingcontact surfaces, and points of clamping pressure to provide both asimplified structure and an extremely rigid folding chair arrangement.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved foldingchair structure having a pair of hinge means between the leg structuresand the seat together with a critically positioned clamping latch toautomatically hold the chair in open condition in a rigid satisfactorymanner.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from adetailed description of the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a general perspective view of a chair incorporating thefeatures of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 22 of Figs 1 and 3.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 33 of Figs. 1 and 2showing the bottom of the chair seat.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the chair in folded condition.

Fig. 5 is a bottom View of the chair in folded condition.

As an example of one embodiment of this invention there is shown a chairstructure having a seat 10, the front leg assembly 11 comprising thefront legs 12 and 13 and the front cross rail 14, and the rear legassembly 15 comprising the rear legs 16 and 17, the rear cross rail 18and the back 19.

Upstanding dowel pins 20 and 21 fixed in the top of front legs 12 and 13engage in dowel pin holes 22 in the under side 23a of the front portionof the seat 10. Upstanding dowel pins 23 and 24 are fixed in the top ofthe rear cross rail 18 and engage in dowel pin holes 25 in the underside22a of the rear portion of the seat 10. The top 22a abutment surfaces 26and 27 respectively of the front and rear cross rails 14 and 18 firmlyengage the bottom surfaces 23a and 22a respectively of the seat 10.

Interconnected between the front leg assembly 11 and the underside ofthe seat are the link pieces 28 being pivotally mounted at 29 to thefront legs 12 and 13 and pivotally mounted at 30 to the hinge plate 31fixed by suitable screws 32 to the underside surface 22a of the seat 19.Similarly, the rear leg assembly 15 is connected through the links 32which are pivotally connected at 33 to the rear legs 16 and 17 and theother ends of the link 32 being pivotally connected at 34 to the hingeplates 31.

Latch means are provided to interconnect the front rail 14 and also therear cross rail 18 to the under side" of the seat of a character such asshown in my application, Serial No. 355,469, filed May 18, 1953, whichconsists of the latch piece 35 suitably secured by screws 36 to theinside faces of the respective front and rear cross rails 14 and 18. Thelock piece 37 of the latch is pivotally mounted at 38 on the adjustablebase plate 39 mounted by suitable screws 40 and '41 to the under side ofthe seat,

the screw 41 being suitably adjustable to regulate 'the tension on thelatch piece at the grip point 42 as required. There has thus beenprovided a leg assembly support for both the front leg assembly and therear leg assembly having the respective pivotal connections 2930 and33-34, the abutment surfaces 26 and 27 of engagement of the cross railswith the under side 22a of the seat; dowel pin means between these crossrails and the under side of the seat and finally a latching means havinga tion is affected in holding the leg assemblies in open position bythis specific arrangement as recited.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the chair is shown in folded up position and it may bedesirable to use a latch device such as the plate 43 secured to thebottom of the seat 10 by suitable screws 44 having a swingable andslidable holding arm 45 having a pin 46 engaging over the legs 13 and 17of the respective front and rear leg assemblies to hold the chair infolded position. Release of the latch arrangement 46 enables the chairto be opened out and assembled in using position as shown in Fig. 1,with the latch in released position as best shown in Fig. 3.

Thus there is provided a novel folding chair arrangement in which thereare provided the points of pivoting 33--34 or 29-30 forming with thepoint of engagement of the dowels with the under side of the seat at 47a triangle defined by the lines 48 and 49 an arrangement wherein thepoint of gripping 42 of the latch means lies within this triangle28-4849 or 32-4849 as best seen in Fig. 2 to provide a highly stable andefiicient chair structure which is simple in construction and in cost ofmanufacture.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes apreferredform of the invention, it is also to be understood that theapparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from thespirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement andcommercial adaptation as fall within the scope of the appendant claimsare intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claimedand desired to be obtained by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A folding chair structure including a leg assembly having a crossrai-l, dowel pin means on the top of said rail, a seat, means on theunder side of said seat to receive said .dowel pin means, a linkpivotally connected to said leg assembly below said cross rail andpivotally connected to the underside of said seat at a point inwardlyfrom said cross rail, and a latch means between said rail and the underside of said seat having a point of clamping pressure located within atriangle defined by the pivotal connections of the ends of said link andthe point of engagement of said dowel pin means with said seat.

2. A folding chair comprising, a seat, a front leg assembly having apair of front legs, and a front cross rail, a rear leg assembly having apair of rear legs, a rear cross rail and a back, dowel pins projectingupwardly from the top surfaces of said cross rails, dowel pin holes inthe bottom of said seat adapted to receive said dowel pins, said topsurfaces of said cross rails abutting the bottom surface of said seatwhen said dowel pins are engaged in said dowel: pinholes, pieces pi otedat one end in said ta s below said cross rails and pivotally at theirother ends intermediate the bottom of said seat, and a latch betweensaidcross rails and said seat comprising-a latch piece fiiedto the insidefaceiof said cross rails, 'a lock piece pivotally mounted on theundersideof said seattint'ermediate said dowel pin holes and the pivotal1con- 'nection tof said links with" said seat, the" point-oi action dfsaid latch being located within a triangle defined by agiesof pivot'allly mounting: of the ends of said links and the" point of engagement ofsaid dowel pin means.

3l A folding chair comprising, a-seat, a front leg as seffibly'having apair. of front legs and a front cross rail, a fear leg; assembly havinga pair of rear legs, a rear cross rail a back, dowel'pinsprojeotingupwardly frees the top surfaces ofsaid cross rails, dowel pinholes in the bottom of said seat adairte'd to receive said' dowel pins,said" top suffaoes of said cross rails abutting the bb'tfoni s'uffaceof'said seat when said dowel pins are efig'ag'd'ifi said dowel pinnotes; Iink pieces pivoted at one efid ins'aid legs below' said crossrails and pivotally at tliir'othr ends intermediate theb'ottom of saidseat, a latch between said cross rails and said seat comprising a latchpiece fixed to the inside faceof said cross rails,a

look piece pivotally monnted 9n the under side ofsaid seat intermediatesaid dowel pin holesv and the pivotal connection of said links with saidseat, the point of action of said latch being located within a triangledefined by axes of pivotally mounting of the ends'of said links and thepoint of engagement'of said dowel pin means, and securing means on thebottom of said seat to hold the front and rear leg assemblies in foldedposition against said seat,

bottom;

1 References Cited mine file ofthis'patnt UNITED STATES PATENTS;

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